Desert Mountain Geronimo Golf Course Top 100 Review

Geronimo Golf Course at Desert Mountain is an 18-hole, par-72 championship layout spanning 7,293 yards, designed by Jack Nicklaus. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, the course is renowned for its dramatic desert landscape featuring fluctuating elevations, deep ravines, and stunning plateau views that make it the most visually intimidating course in the Desert Mountain complex.

The course presents a significant challenge with target fairways and island greens requiring aggressive shot-making. The opening hole, a 570-yard par-5, sets the tone with a dramatic drop to a broad fairway. While the front nine appears relatively approachable, the back nine intensifies considerably. Notable signature holes include #1, #6, #11, and #18, with the finishing par-3 requiring a lengthy tee shot to a sloping green before the joint clubhouse.

Geronimo's design incorporates elevation changes creating blind tee shots and approaches, though Nicklaus included conservative routing options for less aggressive players. Shorter par-4s feature deceptively challenging greens with multiple tiers. The course has earned recognition as a Top 25 Arizona Course by Golf Digest and ranks among Arizona's top 10 layouts.